I smile...

Waking up this morning, I smile. Twenty-four brand new hours are before me. I vow to live fully in each moment. 

- Thich Nhat Hanh 

W&N watercolour on Amedeo 200gsm 

I bought a No. 26 (3cm - 1¼") Hog's hair flat brush and, of course, I just had to try it out! My No. 12 round brush is my favourite, and next in line is my No. 10 Round. I very rarely use a flat brush unless it's a big painting and then I use a large flat brush to fill the back-ground. Painting this entirely with a flat brush was totally strange to me, also resulting in a different style and outcome for me. So I smile! 

::

 

Bamboo Flower arrangement

One sure way to lose another woman's friendship is to try to improve her flower arrangements. 

- Marcelene Cox 

W&N watercolour on X-pressit 300gsm 

A wonderful artist and friend of mine needed an idea for a flower arrangement she had to do for one of her flower arranging classes and this is what I came up with. She did indeed use Bamboo in her arrangement, but with a flat bowl filled with water and pebbles and it turned out beautifully! 

::

Nature's Peace

Nature's peace will flow into you as sunshine flows into trees. The winds will blow their own freshness into you, and the storms their energy, while cares will drop off like autumn leaves.” 

- John Muir 

W&N watercolour on X-pressit 300gsm 

I bought a No. 26 (3cm - 1¼") Hog's hair flat brush and, of course, I just had to try it out! My No. 12 round brush is my favourite, and next in line is my No. 10 Round. I very rarely use a flat brush unless it's a big painting and then I use a large flat brush to fill the back-ground. Painting this entirely with a flat brush was totally strange to me, also resulting in a different outcome to what I expected. With Autumn just around the corner, my palette naturally leaned towards browns and yellows. My two favourite colours. 

::

 

Deep Summer

“Deep summer is when laziness finds respectability.”
- Sam Keen

W&N watercolour in Moleskine 200gsm watercolour sketch-book

Hot days, summer showers and cool breezes - what more could one ask for?

::

You ARE free

“Come along then.” said Jonathan. “Climb with me away from the ground, and we’ll begin.”
“You don’t understand. My wing. I can’t move my wing.”
“Maynard Gull, you have the freedom to be yourself, your true self, here and now, and nothing can stand in your way. It is the Law of the Great Gull, the Law that Is.”
“Are you saying I can fly?”
“I say you are free.”
- From Jonathan Livingstone Seagull

W&N watercolour on X-pressit 300gsm

I've just read "Jonathan Livingstone Seagull" again for the third time, and every time I discover another lesson... It's such an amazing story, full of heartache, bravery, uncertainty, positivity, the empowerment of believing in yourself and, above all, the realisation that we are all truly free...

• You are free.
• You’re so free, you can choose bondage.
• You are so free, that no one can do anything to you.
• You are so free, that you are the only one who is causing anything to happen in your experience.

::